Presentation: the development of a
mobile search and rescue robot
8th May 2009
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section
• Eight 4th Year MEng Undergraduates
• Design and build an USAR robot capable of competing at
RoboCup Rescue
• Raise the profile of WMR and
sponsors through continually
developing marketing strategy
• Increase awareness of Engineering
both at the University of Warwick and
as a profession
• Showcase Warwick innovation to the
world
Timothy Fletcher
Mechanical Engineer
Reuben Williams
Mechanical Engineer
Julian Faulkner
Mechanical Engineer
Oliver Vogel
Electronic Engineer
Matthew Rooke
Systems Engineer
Stefan Winkvist
Electronic Engineer
James Williams
Systems Engineer
Alex Bunn
Mechanical Engineer
• International competition fostering
development of USAR robots
• Simulated disaster area
– Aim to find “survivors” whilst mapping the arena
Yellow – Orange – Red arena obstacles
• Aims
• Build on the success of 2008
– Optimise tele-operation
– Implement mapping and autonomy
– Investigate further victim identification
• Objectives
• Achieve Best in Class for Mobility at RoboCup
Rescue German Open
• Qualify for the international final in Austria
1. List of contents
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section
• Finance
– Sponsorship
– Budgeting
– Record keeping
• Marketing
– Attract sponsors
– Deliver on project aims
• Press release
• Promotional pack
• Demonstrations and presentations
• Initial Budget
– Driven by requirements
capture
• Constantly updated
– Used to guide technical
decisions
£20,000.00
£15,000.00
£10,000.00
£5,000.00
£0.00
Mech.
Elec.
Comp.
Initial Budget
Actual Expenditure
Misc.
Total
Budget at 28/01/09
• Multiple accounts
– Potential risk
• Record of expenditures
Batteries and Power
Description
Evolite 5350mAf 6s 22.2v
Total Exp. (inc. VAT) Quantity
Expendee Date
Contractor/Supplier
Part Number/Notes
Account
Delivered?
£164.07
1 J.Faulkner 28.11.2008
Heliguy
53506S
Eng
Yes
Heliguy postage
£6.40
1 J.Faulkner 28.11.2008
Heliguy
Postage
Eng
N/A
LiPo battery bags
£23.95
1 J.Faulkner 14.01.2009
Hyperflight
LS2
WMG
Yes
Equalizer Adapter
£3.08
1 J.Faulkner 15.01.2009
Midland Helicopters
RB8215
WMG
Yes
LiPo equalizer 12S
£58.72
1 J.Faulkner 15.01.2009
Midland Helicopters
RB8484
WMG
Yes
£5.38
1 J.Faulkner 15.01.2009
Midland Helicopters
Postage
WMG
N/A
Midland Helicopters Postage
• Equipment costs
– Materials, parts and competition
• HR and production
– Not paid for by WMR
Expense
Total Cost
Equipment, Parts and Consumables
£13,164.19
Human Resource Costs
£54,510.00
Production Costs
£27,420.00
Total Project Cost
£95,094.19
• Organisational structure created to clarify
individual roles within the project.
• Structure not rigid and functional working
groups formed to aid development of subsystem progress.
• Team members assigned work according to
speciality and areas of interest.
• Systems based approach to resource
management.
1. List of contents
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section
Process
Capability
Analysis
DDP
Design
review &
Governance
Control
Plans
System
Budgets
Requirements
Capture
Interface
Control
Defect
Reporting
Engineering
Change
Control
Sub System
Testing
Feasibility and
Analysis
SubContractor
Partner
Management
FMEA
System Testing
Architectural
Design
System
Safety Case
SubContractor
Partner
Management
Architectural
Integration
Component
Testing
Equipment/SubSystem
Specifications
Design
Verification
Testing
Support
Plan
Design Phase
System Design Definition
Northrop Grumman Remotec
Equipment Design
System Verification
Process
Capability
Analysis
DDP
Design
review &
Governance
Control
Plans
System
Budgets
Requirements
Capture
Interface
Control
Defect
Reporting
Engineering
Change
Control
Sub System
Testing
Feasibility and
Analysis
SubContractor
Partner
Management
FMEA
System Testing
Architectural
Design
System
Safety Case
SubContractor
Partner
Management
Architectural
Integration
Component
Testing
Equipment/SubSystem
Specifications
Design
Verification
Testing
Support
Plan
Design Phase
System Design Definition
Northrop Grumman Remotec
Equipment Design
System Verification
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Requirements
• Stair / ramp climbing
• Bi-directional operation
• Maintain CoG within footprint
during climbs
• Minimise weight increase
Solution
• Chain drive
• Rear flippers
• Weight reduction
• Profiled Tracks
Design and Features
• Maintain stability e.g. stair climbing
• Develop new housing for added
hardware
Motivation
Minimise power demand
Solution
Acetal Copolymer
Nylon 66 – hygroscopic
Material
Specific
Gravity
Aluminium
2.7
Acetal
1.9
Nylon 66
1.18
Motivation
Rely on friction surface to pull up on edges
Poor stair climb control as belts slip
Solution
Maintain T10 and K13 internal tracking profile
Toothed profile on external face
Medium density rubber compound
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Motivation
Independently separable subsystem requirement
Central robot section contains computer, router,
power control and sensory processing devices
Frequent need to remove computer
Solution
A self contained unit to hold computer and other
electronics
Operates outside the robot
Lifts out with robot lid
No hard wiring, connectors used
Access panel/computer port access
Lid fans work with robot base fans to create
airflow inside tight central compartment
Requirements
25 minute competitive run time
2 hour run-time for casual, flat-ground use
Deliver power to drive system to overcome obstacles
Independent remote power cycling of all electronic devices
Hardware and software emergency stop
2 NiMH Packs in Series
30000
NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) only
delivered 350 W
25000
20000
15000
Voltage (mV)
13 V  27 A  350W
Current (mA)
10000
5000
0
0
100
200
300
400
Time (ms)
500
600
One LiPo delivers combined drive
motor power of 970 W
700
1 LiPo Battery
50000
22 V  44 A  970 W
45000
40000
35000
30000
25000
Voltage (mV)
20000
Current (mA)
15000
10000
5000
0
0
100
200
300
400
Time (ms)
500
600
700
Two LiPo batteries in parallel allow the
motors to reach their 1 kW peak rating
Two LiPo batteries gives the same
capacity as the NiMH batteries (10 Ah)
Requirements
Remote power cycling on all outputs and software Emergency Stop
Provide range of voltages for robot devices
Solution
Custom circuit board housed in central section as a layer in the stack
Atmel AVR microcontrollers
USB communication with PC
MOSFET switching circuit
DC-DC converters
Fused outputs with LED indicators
Requirements
• Main Sensor Platform
– IR camera
– CO2 Sensor
– Webcam
Issues
• Unstable in movement
• Difficult to dock safely
• Arm control not finished
07/08 Design
Few lower arm braces
Counterbalance clash
Main features
•
•
•
•
New RX64 at elbow joint
Strengthened arm sections
Folded from sheet metal
Wider roll-cage for safer
head docking
• Dynamixel Servomotors
• Bus System
• Kinematic control achieved
Manually “flying the head”
using the game controller
Selecting presets
Resolving lag issues with 07/08 communications
Object Stream
DataSocket
Added transmission delays
due to increased data transfer
and processing.
Less data and processing
reduces transmission delays
Robot and Client both have to
use identical libraries to
interpret the data.
Commands can be sent in
plain text
Easy to set-up and to transfer
data
Newly developed commands
can be tested without
modifying the client
• Displays information to operator
• Efficient control of robot functions
• Easy to use
Reporting of critical system variables
Position of all moving parts on the robot
Easy access to safety controls etc.
Quick access to commonly used arm positions
• Allows the autonomous functions tested independently from the robot
• Can simulate 3-D arenas
•Developed to be compatible with the robot’s server commands.
Video of simulator running!
• Starting state:
– No autonomy implemented
– Suitable sensors identified: Sonar, IR, LiDAR
• Aims:
– Enable autonomous navigation around
competition standard terrain
– Develop automated Victim ID method
• Navigation concept – “PieEye”
– Based on LiDAR sensor data
– Reactive navigation framework
– Splits sensor data into segments
– Basic multi-layer neural network
– Flexible
• Collision severities & Dynamic biasing
– Each ‘collision’ assigned severity level
– Biases dynamically applied to pathfinder
• Intelligent Turning
– Problems with slip during turn
– Finds turn angle by cross-correlation of LiDAR data
– Combines collision detection
• Iterative development
• Simulator used initially
• Concurrent testing with
hardware, when available
•
•
•
•
Builds up map from successive LiDAR scans
Correlates current LiDAR scan against map so far
Finds best fit and overlays LiDAR scan
Pixel intensity increases with further scans as
confidence increases
• Uses thermal imaging camera to find heat
spots
1. Takes grayscale image
2. Thresholds by temperature(brightness)
3. Finds large blobs -returns size and location
• GUI - client interaction
– Remote start & stop
– Real-time monitoring
– On-the-fly calibration
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• The objectives of the project:
– Achieve Best in Class for Mobility at RoboCup
Rescue German Open
– Gain an invitation to the World Finals in Graz
2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011
Autonomy & Mobility
·
·
·
·
Wall avoidance in yellow
arena (ladar and sonar)
Passive victim
identification (thermal,
audio and/or CO2)
Full arm control
Support new
mechanical features
·
·
Use SLAM to avoid
repeating areas (cover
the yellow arena
intelligently)
Fully integrate all victim
ID sensors
·
·
Simplify tele-operation
over rough terrain
(reduce user
instructions)
Real-world terrain
Mapping
·
·
·
·
CURRENT STATE
(Oct 2008)
No autonomy
Tele-operation
No arm control
·
·
·
Produce 2D map from
ladar and sonar
Add locations of victims
Show robot location
Research Hausdorff
distance and image
correlation
·
·
Map in correct GeoTIFF
format to competition
specification
Develop SLAM
(Simultaneous
Localisation & Mapping)
·
·
Develop 3D mapping
·
·
·
Client Software
·
·
·
·
·
Support for arm & new
mechanical features
Reduce camera lag
Map display
Accurately display
flipper and arm angles
User interface
ergonomics
LANDMARKS
o
Produce a map
o
Find a yellow victim
autonomously
o
Working robot arm
·
3D robot configuration
model
LANDMARKS
o
GeoTIFF map
o
SLAM methods
o
3D robot model
·
Package software for
real-world deployment
LANDMARKS
o
3D map
o
Real-world product
TARGET STATE
(2011)
Fully autonomous over any
terrain
Automatic victim
identification
Accurate GeoTIFF format
mapping
SLAM
2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011
Mobility Performance
·
·
·
·
Rear flippers
Sprocket and chain
drive for front flippers
Re-design of front
flippers
Tracks and profile
·
·
Analyse independent
flippers and add to front
if beneficial
Self -righting
·
Minor changes
depending on analysis
of previous years
progress
·
·
Further shock proofing
Analysis and possible
re-design of cooling
systems
·
Further chassis
optimisation for possible
real world application
Chassis/Weight performance
·
·
·
·
CURRENT STATE
(Oct 2008)
Adequate Mobility
Poor shock proofing
Poor dust protection
No grab/drop action
·
·
·
·
·
Arm re-design
Pick up drop off
capabilities
Central computer unit
Shock absorber for
motherboard
Top panel re-design
·
·
·
·
Dust protection for
chassis
Moisture protection for
chassis
Shock protection for
chassis
Central processing AND
electronics hub
Weight
·
·
Begin analysing polymer
chassis and pulleys.
Optimise the size of
flippers
LANDMARKS
o
Produce test arena
o
Climb stairs
o
Drop object at victim
·
Optimise size and
weight of all parts
LANDMARKS
o
Dust protected air
cooling
o
Polymer chassis
LANDMARKS
o
Real-world product
o
Different competitions,
air/land collaboration?
·
·
·
·
·
TARGET STATE
(2011)
Fully mobile over all terrain
Shock proof
‘Commercial package’
Dust/moisture resistance
Ability to grab/drop items